Narrative practice may foster comfort but not enhance cognition in adult witness interviews about a mock sexual assault
Date
2020
Journal Title
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Volume Title
Publisher
The Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology
Abstract
The present study tested the effectiveness of narrative practice on adult witnesses’ reports
about a mock sexual assault. Narrative practice is a rapport-building activity that involves
recounting a neutral or pleasant event prior to discussing the target topic. Engaging in
narrative practice tends to enhance children’s reporting, but its utility with adults is unknown.
Adults (n = 62) 18- to 62-years-old viewed a 7-minute video of a mock sexual assault and
then were questioned with an open-ended protocol that began with narrative practice or not.
Results showed that narrative practice did not appear to aid memory retrieval but may have
increased comfort for some participants. Findings are discussed with regard to interviewing
practice.
Description
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Article
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Keywords
narrative practice, adult witnesses, investigative interviewing, eyewitness testimony, episodic memory training, research
Citation
Brubacher, S. P., Sharman, S. J., Westera, N. J., Zekiroski, H., Danby, M. C., & Powell, M. B. (2020). Narrative practice may foster comfort but not enhance cognition in adult witness interviews about a mock sexual assault. The Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology, 31(5), 814-821.